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i want to go to dana bash joining me on the phone here. dana, huge surprise to a lot of people. what's behind the resignation. >> reporter: a huge stunner. nobody saw it coming. i was told by a source close to demint he didn't accept the job until yesterday telling the staff this morning, called the governor in south carolina who, of course, will have to appoint the successor and told the republican leaders here. but look. the reason why it's such a surprise is because demint really has been over the past few years somebody who takes pride in his job. and the role that any one senator can do, which is to gum up the works and very much, obviously, an inside job. he said he could be better outside than inside an he said he feels better about leaving because he has been able to get a number -- really, half a dozen tea party-like conservatives elected. >> let me jump in, dana. i want to run through them because, you know, when we think senator demint we think of a tea party stronghold within the u.s. senate and helped and also hurt a number of republican candidates. who were they? >
i want to go to dana bash joining me on the phone here. dana, huge surprise to a lot of people. what's behind the resignation. >> reporter: a huge stunner. nobody saw it coming. i was told by a source close to demint he didn't accept the job until yesterday telling the staff this morning, called the governor in south carolina who, of course, will have to appoint the successor and told the republican leaders here. but look. the reason why it's such a surprise is because demint really has...
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cnn's dana bash live on capitol hill with more. why did senator demint decide to step down? >> we're trying to get more information from his aides. maybe find him in the hallways here. it's a bit of a surprise because demint has felt that he's been able to be effective here in congress because he has been kind of a conservative very willing to push his own leadership in ways that often times they don't want to be pushed with regard to deficit reduction, with regard to strict fiscal policy. that's by far his number one issue. i can tell you he's also really angered republican leaders over the past two election cycles by raising millions of dollars, a lot of money, for republican candidates who "establishment" thought were less able to win the general election. he is a purist. he's an anti-tax, anti-government purist. it does seem that he's kind of had it here. he wouldn't be the only one to say that they don't feel they can get enough done from the inside and it's probably better to go to the house. we'll try to get more information on why he's making this decision. not just
cnn's dana bash live on capitol hill with more. why did senator demint decide to step down? >> we're trying to get more information from his aides. maybe find him in the hallways here. it's a bit of a surprise because demint has felt that he's been able to be effective here in congress because he has been kind of a conservative very willing to push his own leadership in ways that often times they don't want to be pushed with regard to deficit reduction, with regard to strict fiscal...
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dana, thanks very much. and i'm joined now by senator demint along with heritage foundation founding trustee, the current president, we see the outgoing president, ed feulner, thanks for coming in. we're going to talk a little about the state of the heritage foundation and the republican party. the senator's here, the newsmaker, you shocked all of us. why did you do this? >> wolf, after this last election it's apparent we need to do more as conservatives to convince americans that our ideas and policies are going to make their lives better. the heritage foundation is the premier think tank, research organization, the premier idea group for the conservative movement. this will give me the opportunity to help take our case to the american people. and to translate our policies into real ideas. >> so you think you can be more influential within the conservative movement as the leader of the heritage foundation as oppose today a united states senator? >> there's no question about it. >> what does that say about t
dana, thanks very much. and i'm joined now by senator demint along with heritage foundation founding trustee, the current president, we see the outgoing president, ed feulner, thanks for coming in. we're going to talk a little about the state of the heritage foundation and the republican party. the senator's here, the newsmaker, you shocked all of us. why did you do this? >> wolf, after this last election it's apparent we need to do more as conservatives to convince americans that our...
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let's bring in our senior congressional correspondent dana basch, she has the latest. >> reporter: there's so much political theater around here right now, you could say tickets. one of today's acts was the house leaving. lawmakers streaming out of the capitol hill, racing to their cars to get to the airport and go home. it's a scene you usually see on a thursday afternoon or friday morning, not wednesday at noon. >> good morning. >> house republican leaders told members they're free to leave, because they have nothing to vote on. >> i understand that you are saying legislation has been put on the floor. when it comes to just pure optics of the house leaving with the fiscal cliff right in front of us -- >> i'll be here and i'll be available at any moment to sit down with the president to get serious about solving this problem. >> in fact, sending lawmakers home is a way for house republicans to illustrate their current message, your move, mr. president. >> we need a response from the white house, we can't negotiate with ourselves. >> john boehner made a point at expressing dismay the presi
let's bring in our senior congressional correspondent dana basch, she has the latest. >> reporter: there's so much political theater around here right now, you could say tickets. one of today's acts was the house leaving. lawmakers streaming out of the capitol hill, racing to their cars to get to the airport and go home. it's a scene you usually see on a thursday afternoon or friday morning, not wednesday at noon. >> good morning. >> house republican leaders told members...